All Lettuce is not created equal nutritionally!
As we enter the summer, many people eat more salads. Did you know that not all lettuce is created equal?! Don’t get me started on what you may be using on top of your salad undoing any of the good nutrients in it!
Keeping it short and sweet this month!
There are four main types of lettuce crisphead, romaine, leaf and butterhead.
Crisphead lettuce looks more like a cabbage, the leaves are crisp and tightly packed. The most common type of crisphead lettuce is iceberg. Its inner leaves are usually whiter than other types of lettuce. Less nutritious.
Romaine Lettuce is very popular. Romaine’s leaves are long and greener than those of crisphead lettuce, although it has a similar crisp texture. Not a load of nutrition.
Leaf lettuce has flat leaves that are joined at the stem, rather than clustered in a head. Red leaf, green leaf, and oak leaf are all examples of leaf lettuce. More nutritious.
Butterhead lettuce looks different from the other types of lettuce because its leaves are spread out more and have a grassy appearance. It has a mild flavor. Boston and Bibb lettuce are both examples of butterhead lettuce. Not a load of nutrition.
Some other vegetables are often referred to as lettuce, but they are actually a different species of vegetables. Examples include arugula (my favorite!) watercress and mizuna.
Nutrients in greens can vary, but the nutrients found in them are:
Vitamin A
Folate
Vitamin C
Vitamin K
Vitamin E
Calcium
Magnesium
Potassium
Fiber
What should you be using for a salad then?!
Not necessarily ALL lettuce! A mix of greens is the most nutritious.
Iceberg lettuce has the least nutrients, mostly water and crunch, romaine lettuce has a little bit more than iceberg.
Using a mix of greens, a baby spring mix with some kale, spinach, watercress, microgreens, beet greens and Swiss chard is a great way to get more nutrients, add some arugula for more flavor.
Regarding salad dressing, you truly are better off making it homemade. There are some dressings out there made with better ingredients, like Primal Kitchen. Most salad dressings contain canola oil and or soy oils, highly inflammatory and to be avoided at all costs!
Mix up your greens for variety!
This month I will share a variety of salad dressings you can make at home.
Blue Cheese Dressing
½ cup full fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese
1 Tablespoon snipped fresh chives
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove peeled and minced
Combine yogurt and bleu cheese in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat for 1-2 minutes while whisking constantly, just until the bleu cheese is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the lemon juice, chives and garlic. Serve immediately (great over fresh steamed veggies too, asparagus, zucchini, cauliflower etc.)
Grandma’s Butter Vinaigrette
1 stick of grass-fed butter melted
4 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother in it
2 drops of liquid Stevia or 1 tsp of honey
Melt the butter, add the vinegar and stevia, mix thoroughly and serve warm.
Basic Vinaigrette
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar (or try apple cider, or for a sweeter dressing, Balsamic)
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp. raw honey (or maple syrup)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp chopped fresh herbs (like basil, oregano, parsley etc.)
Place all ingredients in a bowl, mix well. Can be stored in an airtight container for later use.
Creamy Avocado Citrus Dressing
1 ripe avocado
¼ cup apple Cider Vinegar (I use Bragg’s brand with the Mother in it)
¼ cup honey
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1 clove garlic
¼ cup cilantro
½ small jalapeno (or your preference)
¼ cup water (or more to thin to preference)
Salt and pepper to taste
Add all ingredients to food processor or blender and blend for about a minute or until smooth and creamy.
Ranch Dressing
To make the seasoning mix
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 dried basil
1/2 tsp non processed salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp chives
To make the ranch dressing:
1/2 cup full fat Greek yogurt, plain or sour cream
1 tsp vinegar
1 Tbsp. seasoning mix
Water or milk to desired consistency
Salt to taste, optional.
Mix in a mason jar until even consistency. Store in refrigerator until use by date on milk/yogurt/sour cream.
The cholesterol you eat has very little impact on your cholesterol numbers, your body MAKES cholesterol to make
hormones and vitamin D, build healthy cell membranes, digest fats, and manage inflammation. In most cases,
high levels of cholesterol are due to inflammation and low hormones. Address the CAUSE, not the symptom!
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